Life

The Check-In: Marathon Madness and Texas Tri-Haven

Marathon entries on the rise, Texas turns into triathlon mecca and an IRONMAN legend's son signs with his first bike sponsor.

Dallas is to Triathlon What Portland is to Hipsters

Later this month, Playtri will open a new, 10,908 square foot triathlon store. It will be the area’s third triathlon-specific store; according to DallasNews, this is indicative of how a mix of the right weather, a healthy economy and a deep-rooted history have made North Texas a multisport boomtown.

Texas has 16,702 triathletes, the most of any state, according to 2012 data from USA Triathlon. Florida (13,377) and California (12,853) rank second and third. The sport has grown from 1,500 participants in 1982 to 176,458 last year. In recent years, the North Texas scene has evolved from a few clubs associated with cycling shops to more than 25.

Boardman Bikes Signs Six-Time IRONMAN's Son, Drew Scott

The British bicycle brand announced this week that Drew Scott, son of legend and six-time IRONMAN Dave Scott, will join their Boardman Elite triathlon sponsorship program.

"Drew is an awesome talent and has been on my radar for quite sometime. His father is a complete living legend and a total inspiration for the sport and a personal hero of mine," said Alan Ingarfield, co-founder of Boardman Bikes in a press release. "As we have seen and done with Pete Jacobs and the Brownlee Brothers, we are here to support him and help him win," he added.

Scott will be riding the Kona-winning AiR/TT/9.8, designed by British cycling legend Chris Boardman. As a new pro, he is focusing his race schedule on the 70.3 World Championship in September.

Amgen Tour of California Plagued by Heat

Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM) took the victory at Sunday's Amgen Tour of California opener in Escondido, Calif. He crossed the finish line of the 165km circuit in 4:31:33, having conquered three challenging climbs and temperatures in the 100's. Francisco Mancebo (5-hour-Energy-Kenda) took second after being out-sprinted in the final stretch, and Peter Sagan (Cannondale) led a pack behind them for third.

The weather proved difficult for many European riders coming off jet lag and cooler spring temperatures. Members of the Orica GreenEdge team were hampered after two of its main helpers, Michael Hepburn and Fumiyuki Beppu, along with Taylor Shelden of 5 Hour Energy/Kenda, finished outside the time limit on the 165.2km stage one circuit.

"They had a really bad day, and a bad reaction to the heat," the team's director Matt Wilson told Cycling News.

Stages two and three on Monday and Tuesday in Palm Springs were hot enough to prompt discussions of whether extreme heat, like extreme cold, should make organizers consider canceling a stage.

Boston Marathon Causes Rise in Marathon Entries

Multiple marathons in June to September have seen an uptick in registration as runners seek to clock a Boston qualifying time before registration for the 2014 event opens in mid-September. (The Boston Athletic Association has yet to announce the official date.)

"We’ve never seen anything like it," Lisa Walkiewicz told Runner's World. She's the vice president of communication for Via, a nonprofit that runs the Via Marathon in early September. The race typically draws about 900 runners total, and has 1,100 entries now, four months before race day. Walkiewicz said Via is thinking of capping entries.

"Please Don't Send Your Wallet:" Linsey Corbin Reacts to Email Hack

There seems to be a trend in pro triathlete videography of late. First, Trevor Wurtele made us all laugh with his 80-second race reports. Then we noticed professional triathlete Linsey Corbin's creative video response to an email hack earlier this week, featuring never-before seen footage of her dog, Madison.

Last Chance to Sign up for Louisville

The last full-distance IRONMAN still open for entries, IRONMAN Louisville's time-trial start is ideal for athletes apprehensive about a mass-start swim. Athlete position is first-come, first-serve, and athletes swim upriver around an island before turning to meet the downriver current. As far as bike and run courses go, Louisville is relatively benign. The two-loop bike course totals 2,060 feet in elevation gain, and the run is relatively flat. If a wetsuit is a must for you, skip Louisville, as water temperatures for the race are expected to be between 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

An End to the Minimalist Shoe Trend?

According to data from SportsOneSource, sales of minimalist shoes declined more than 10 percent in the first quarter of this year. A category that has been growing quickly up until now, this type of shoe, characterized by its minimalist cushioning, is being surpassed by motion control and stability once again.